Water heater



J. P. VOTAVA WATER HEATER Sept. 12,. 1933.

Filed June 20, 1930 Patented Sept. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

heater for the water cooling system of a motor applicable for permanent installation therein.

Another object is to provide an improved heater adapted to be mounted in a water cooling system,

which will not retard the circulation of the water therein.

Another object is to provide a device of the character referred to which may be inexpensively manufactured and readily installed as an accessory.

f The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as willappear hereinafter as the description proceeds, will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational View of a motor and radiator, showing the improved heating device installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical central sectional 30 View through the heater.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the improved heater.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The device illustrated in the drawing is of such construction as to be readily mounted upon the motor block of any known type of combustion engine and connected with the water cooling system thereof in such a manner as to require but a minimum amount of structural changes therein. It will be understood, however, that the device illustrated and described may be built within the radiator, if desired, as part of standard equipment.

" As shown, the heater preferably includes a cylindrical sheet metal container 11 having a removable top 12 secured to a circumferential flange 13,.formed on said cylinder, by suitable screws 14. L The cylindrical container 11 preferably is formed with an enlarged diameter 15 adjacent one end screws 18. An annular washer 19 is disposed between plate and said shoulder to seal the chamber 21 thus formed in the lower portion of the container.

A plurality of electrodes 22 and 23 are fixedly secured to the plate 17, and extend downwardly therefrom into the chamber 21. The electrodes 22 are insulated from said plate preferably by suitable washers 24, and electrodes 23 are ground to the plate 17. The electrodes 22 and 23 are arranged in pairs, the electrodes of each pair being (35 diametrically opposed to each other, and each pair preferably is arranged at right angles to the other pair. The lower end of the electrodes form'- ing each pair are connected by suitable electric conductor connecting strips 25 and 26, respectively.

Fixedly secured on the under side of the top 12 is a suitable plug receptacle 2'? adapted to receive the common type of plug 28 carried on one end of an electrical supply cord 29, the other end of which is connected to a suitable supply source. Terminals 31 and 32, of the plug receptacle 27, are connected to one of each pair of electrodes 22 and respectively, by suitable conductors 33 and 34.

The device may be secured to a motor block 35 in any approved manner, such as, by suitable brackets 36. A pipe line 37 connecting with the lower portion of the radiator 38 communicates with chamber 21 through an inlet 39 provided in the bottom 41 of said chamber. An outlet 42 extends upwardly and outwardly from the plate 17, adjacent its circumferential edge, through a slotted opening 43 in the wall of the enlarged portion 15 of container 11. This outlet is connected with the water jacket of the motor block 35 by a pipe line 44.

To prevent accidental breakage of the electrodes 22 and 23, which preferably are of carbon to insure the utmost efficiency of the device, a suitable supporting plate or disc 45 is provided, which is freely mounted over the free ends of the electrodes before connecting members 25 and 26 are secured in place. The supporting plate 45 is formed of suitable insulating material, such as fiber, and is provided with a plurality of openings 46 to permit free circulation of the water through the chamber 21. 7

When a vehicle is left standing during cold weather the plug 28 is inserted in the receptacle 27 and the'current turned on. The current then passes into one of the pairs of electrodes and out through the other pair, thus heating the water in the chamber 21. The resistance of the carbon electrodes 22 and 23 is such that excessive heating will not take place, even when the current is on for a long period. The water heated within the chamber 21 passes upwardly through outlet 41 into the Water jacket, and the cooler water from the bottom of the radiator 38 enters at the bottom of chamber 21 through pipe 36. There is a continuous circulation of water created within the water system and as said water is subjected to heat when passing through chamber 21, it cannot reach freezineg temperatures.

To permit ready removal of the plate 1'7 to replace any of the carbons 22 or 23 which may have become broken, or to clean the tank, it is preferable that the slotted opening 43 open onto the upper edge of the container 11. This permits the plate 17 to be withdrawn from the container 11 without removing the outlet 42 from said plate. To prevent foreign matter from entering into the chamber 15, through the slotted opening 43, and shorting the electrical circuit, a suitable closure plate 47 is provided. This plate preferably is fixedly mounted upon the outlet 42.

It can readily be understood that a device of the character described is very efficient in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and will not interfere with the free circulation of the water in the cooling system of the vehicle.

Although an exemplary form of the device is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that the device is capable of embodying certain modifications in detail structure and of being built in a cooling radiator without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A heating device for water cooled engines, comprising in combination a container having a removable partition wall providing upper and lower compartments, a plurality of carbon rods connected with a source of current depending from said partition wall into the lower compartment, a fluid inlet in the bottom of said compartment, an outlet pipe carried by the partition wall extending through a slot in the side wall of the upper compartment, and a closure for said slot carried by said outlet pipe.

2. A device of the character described, comprising in combination a container having a removable partition wall providing upper and lower compartments, electrodes depending from said partition wall into the lower compartment, a fluid inlet in the bottom of said compartment, an outlet pipe carried by the removable partition wall extending through a slot in the wall of said container above said partition wall, and a closure for said slot carried by said outlet pipe.

3. A device of the character described comprising, a cylindrical liquid receptacle having an internal annular shoulder adjacent one end, a division wall removably secured to said shoulder, carbon rods insulated and depending from said division wall, said rods tapering toward their free end, a non-conductive spacer wall adjacent the other end of said cylinder adapted to receive the free tapered ends of said rods therethrough and bind thereto, conductive strips connecting said carbon rods in pairs at their free ends, and means connecting one rod of each pair with a source of current.

4. A heating device for water cooled engines comprising, in combination, a liquid receptacle having an internal shoulder at its upper end, a wall supported for removal on said shoulder, a plurality of tapered carbon rods depending from saidwall, a spacer wall of insulating material receiving the free tapered ends of said carbon rods therethrough, strips of conductive material electrically connecting said carbons in pairs at their free ends, said strips being spaced apart, and flexible conductors each connecting one of each pair of carbon rods with a source or electric supply.

5. A device of the character described, comprising, a cylindrical body including an annular internal shoulder adjacent one end, an inner wall removably supported on said shoulder, two pairs of tapered carbon rods secured at one end to said wall extending into the body portion, a spacer Wall in said body portion adapted to receive the small free ends of said carbon rods therethrough. means electrically connecting said rods in pairs at their unsecured end, and electrical connections in said body for supplying current to said rods.

JOSEPH P. VOTAVA. 

